Canada's Health Care System
What Has Been Said
about Our System
First and foremost, Canadians
support their health care
system. As The Conference
Board of Canada has noted:
"Of all of Canada's social
policies, [the health care
system] is the most prized,
and it is central to Canadians'
views of what is necessary for
a high quality of life." 9
Studies show that a publicly
funded health care system
provides many economic benefits. Public funding spreads
the cost of health care services
across the entire population.
The European Observatory
on Health Care Systems has
pointed to the advantages of
public funding of health care
systems, which are: free access
at point of use; pooling of risks
across a larger population;
universal coverage; and
better cost control. 10
Canada's labour costs are lower
because employers do not have
to fully fund employee health
benefits; this gives businesses
in Canada a competitive edge.
The annual KPMG competitiveness
report, which compares
business costs in several industrialized
countries, continues
to find that Canada has lower
business costs than the US,
and the lowest total labour
costs of the countries
compared. 11 As well, the
excellent health status of
Canadians contributes to
a productive workforce.
In their discussions with me,
Canadians have been clear
that they still strongly support
the core values on which
our health care system is
premised--equity, fairness
and solidarity. These values
are tied to their understanding
of citizenship.
Canada. Commission, Building on
Values, 2002, p. xvi
Endnotes
9 The Conference Board of Canada. Performance and Potential 2002-03: Canada 2010: Challenges and Choices at Home and Abroad. Ottawa: The Board, 2003, p. 78.
10 European Observatory on Health Care Systems. Funding Health Care: Options for Europe. Policy Brief No. 4. Copenhagen: The Observatory, 2002, p.14.
11 KPMG. Competitive Alternatives: the CEO's Guide to International Business Costs. G7 - 2004 ed. Canada: KPMG LLP, 2004, p. 52.
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